Canada firm proposes new Nebraska pipeline to avoid environment issue

OMAHA, Nebraska--The company that wants to build a pipeline to transport crude oil from Canada to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries said Wednesday it has revised its proposed new route through Nebraska to avoid environmentally sensitive areas.

The latest proposed Keystone XL pipeline route is TransCanada's second attempt to satisfy state environmental regulators. The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality said in July that the initial revised route crossed land that could erode easily and passed near unconfined aquifers that supply drinking water to residents and livestock.

The new TransCanada proposal tweaks that April plan, making the route veer east shortly after entering the state to avoid more of the sensitive areas in Keya Paha County, east again around the town of Clarks and west around the town of Western to avoid drinking water well fields.